We usually don`t get that bad of rain, Fairbanks only averages 10" per year, but it usually comes in just small enough quantities to keep hay farming interesting. It usually seems to be dry through June, with about 8-10 good days in July, and then we usually get a real nice stretch early in september, but then the dew comes off so late, and on so early, that dry-down is slow. Then some years are totally out of character, and Alaska is so big that what works in Fairbanks might not in Delta, or much less on the coast at Palmer. Then again, I`m selling timothy/brome squares for $12 a bale, and I`m on the cheap side.
I gotcha on the silage comment, I misunderstood. I`m not set up with a chopper yet, but I`m looking at getting one and some cows to diversify a bit, and put any wasted hay to use.
As for salting the stack, I`ve done it, learned the trick from my dad, and I think it has its place, but I honestly don`t think it will save hay that is too damp to keep. Where I have seen the best results is when I get clumps of vetch in the bales, they dry down muchslower, and can spoil a good portion of the bale. My reason for not think salt helps much is merely because of the weight of water in a damp bale (very noticeable) VS. the amount of salt usually applied and the amount of weight that the bales lose (not much). I guess pickiling the hay will keep it from spoiling, though.
As for cutting at the wrong time of day, I mostly agree with you. I wait for the dew to come off, other than that I try to mow as early as I can. When we are trying to get hay dry as fast as possible, often we have to cut when our tires are a bit damp rolling on the ground, but we leave it in a windrow, let the sun and wind dry the ground, and then ted it out, our ground is almost always moist so it works better than nothing. As for cutting too dry, never seen that, doubt I will!
We have our share of crazies up here, they don`t know a thing about hay or making it, but they certainly are willing to share the wives tales. I had quite a few leave before I started fibbing about what my fields are. Several of my fields are meadow foxtail, a good cool-season grass very similar to timothy in appearance, with no relation to barley foxtail, that everybody knows and hates. Nobody would buy my hay, until I told them all it was timothy, and not a one has known better yet.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Usin Your Implements: Bucket Loader - by Curtis Von Fange. Introduction: Dad was raised during the depression years of the thirties. As a kid he worked part time on a farm in Kansas doing many of the manual chores. Some of the more successful farmers of that day had a new time saving device called a tractor. It increased the farm productivity and, in general, made life easier because more work could be done with this 'mechanical beast'. My dad dreamed that some day he would have his own tractor with every implement he could get. When he rea
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
2022 John Deere 5045E, 4wd, front end loader and 3rd function with grapple. 120 hrs, 55k new, must sell
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
